How to Use the Rope Machine to Work Your Back and Core Like Sarah Hyland

Modern Family star Sarah Hyland typically devotes her Instagram feed to sharing her love of Taco Bell, The Bachelor, and her seemingly endless trips to Disneyland. But recently, the actor gave us a glimpse into her fitness routine with an Instagram story of herself at the gym.

In the video, Hyland pulls on a rope trainer, a machine that continually loops a length of rope as you pull it. The machine simulates a climbing workout, except you get to stay put on the ground. Hyland repeats a simple hand-over-hand movement, all while managing to breathe and keep her core tight. "I have dozens of exercises that I toss in and out of [workouts] to keep [Hyland] from getting bored, and work things in different planes of motion," her trainer Chad Landers previously told People. Judging by Hyland's Instagram story, that rope machine is anything but boring.

"I love this machine!" Lisa Wheeler, certified personal trainer and VP of Fitness at Daily Burn, tells SELF. "It is a great functional way to train your back and core." As you pull the rope, it just keeps coming, and it requires strength and cardiovascular endurance to keep at it. "It works your back and biceps, but if done at the right intensity, it's also a good cardio workout," adds Rob Deutsch, founder at F45 Training. The faster you pull, the harder you'll work your heart.

The machine also encourages a strong grip, which is important if you want to lift heavier weights or do pull-ups. Outside the gym, a strong grip can make simple things, like unscrewing a jar lid, feel easier. Wheeler also recommends this machine for anyone training for an obstacle course race because it simulates the climbing movement that you'll likely be doing during one.

The rope machine is safe for pretty much everyone, says Wheeler, unless you're recovering from a hand or shoulder injury. Bonus: If you're recovering from a knee or foot injury, you can plop a chair in front of the machine and still get your upper-body workout on. "Of course, check with your doctor or physical therapist first," she says.

Hyland is standing as she pulls, which makes it more of a total-body workout—you have to engage your entire core to stay stable throughout. To take it one step further, add squats or lunges. Or, if you find that you really just love the climbing motion, maybe it's worth trying the real thing.